Faculty & Inventors • Resources
Material Transfer Agreements
Receiving or Sharing Materials
Protect your intellectual property when collaborating with third parties
MTAs specify the rights, obligations, and restrictions of both the providing and receiving parties with respect to issues such as ownership, publication, intellectual property and permitted use and liability.
MTA Submittal Form - Incoming Materials
MTA Submittal Form - Outgoing Materials
OTD provides high-quality, expedited service while keeping Harvard investigators’ interests protected (i.e. the freedom to publish research results, to transfer modifications to other non-profits, etc.).
OTD Contacts for MTAs:
HMS
Rachel Hogan, Senior MTA Coordinator
Phone: (617) 432-3845
Fax: (617) 432-2788
hms_materialtransfer@harvard.edu
FAS/SEAS/Wyss
Melissa Smith, Sr. MTA Coordinator
Phone: (617) 495-7533
Fax: (617) 495-9568
materialtransfer@harvard.edu
HSDM/HSPH
Dorothy Tsang, MTA Coordinator
Phone: (617) 495-3067
Fax: (617) 432-2788
otd_mtas@harvard.edu
Incoming Materials
When obtaining materials from a third party (whether from a non-profit or for-profit institution), the receiving scientist should follow the steps outlined here:
- Log in with your Harvard credentials to access, complete, and submit our online form.
- OTD will review the submission to confirm the agreement complies with institutional policies or negotiate revisions on your behalf.
- When the agreement has been finalized, OTD will coordinate signatures. You will receive a PDF copy of the fully signed agreement for your records.
OTD will provide support in obtaining additional approvals from university oversight committees. Please note that OTD does not coordinate packaging or shipment of materials.
Outgoing Materials
When providing materials to a third party (whether to a non-profit or for-profit institution), the sending party should follow the steps outlined below:
- Log in with your Harvard credentials to access, complete, and submit our online form.
- OTD will coordinate the creation and and any proposed changes to the agreement with the requestor and copy you on the correspondence.
- When the agreement has been finalized, OTD will coordinate signatures. In most cases, the Harvard Principal Investigator will not need to sign an outgoing MTA. You will receive a PDF copy of the fully signed agreement for your records.